Seattle's Picturesque Wooden Boat Center Offers Charming Free 'Peapod' Rowboat Rentals

Seattle's geography and metropolitan infrastructure allows for multiple ways to experience this unique part of the Pacific Northwest. Aside from being a destination that caters to everyone from outdoorsy hikers to grunge music lovers, Seattle is also the perfect destination for fans of all things nautical. Many visitors take advantage of Seattle's ocean inlets to see the city from the water. One way to get views from this perspective is with a cruise on the Puget Sound, but you can also rent a wooden rowboat in Seattle's South Lake Union neighborhood. These little "peapod" boats are courtesy of the Center for Wooden Boats. And best of all, they are free!

The Center for Wooden Boats is right on the shores of Lake Union, which gives the South Lake Union neighborhood its name. People of all ages can rent wooden peapod boats fitting up to four people from Wednesday through Sunday. As part of the Center's desire to bring maritime history to as many visitors as possible, you can rent one of these fun boats for one hour free of charge all year long. Reserve online ahead of time, as boats can fill up quickly.

Aside from renting a peapod boat, there are kayaks, sailboats of varying sizes, and canoes for rent with the Center for Wooden Boats. While free one-hour rentals only apply to the peapod boats, all other vessels are just $100 or less per hour. This is especially good to note if the peapod boats are already booked on the day of your visit. These other options are first come, first served rather than online booking. You can even bring your dog!

The Center for Wooden Boats is comprised of the Old Boathouse and the South Lake Union home (Waterway 4), which both float right on the water and are designated landmarks in Seattle. Lake Union is lined with tall buildings, public parks, and docks full of boats large and small. While some of these Lake Union surroundings are quite modern — as is much of central Seattle in general — the Old Boathouse looks like something from a small town locked in time. Even if you don't want to rent a boat, hanging out around this part of town is a quaint departure from Seattle's luxurious maritime accomodations.

If you want to enjoy the scenery of Lake Union without navigating a boat yourself, check out the Public Sail also offered by the Center for Wooden Boats. Experienced boat navigators take people of all ages onto the water for free once per month, typically the last Sunday of the month. You could be in a steamboat, schooner, yacht, or some other type of boat for at least one hour. Public Sail is also first come, first served, so check online for dates. Sign-ups start at 10 a.m. on these sailing days, and you must sign up in person.

Spending time at the Center for Wooden Boats is just one of the many free things you can do when visiting Seattle. To keep exploring around Lake Union, check out Gas Works Park. This park and its huge (but no longer in use) gas equipment is among Seattle's overlooked must-see attractions. Relax on the grass, bring a picnic, or simply watch the boats pass by all with a great view of downtown Seattle and the Space Needle.